Behind the Scenes of War
by tmomo
Summary: Certain things took place after the wars, under the Uchihas' noses, which revolve around the lives of two orphans. AU, KakaIru, Shonen Ai


Little late to upload this but... Ehhhhhh

This piece was done for the 2014 Winter Round over at the KakaIru Fest.

As Sakura24 filled out one of my prompts (which I encourage everyone to go check out on the fest page), I filled out this one of Megyal's prompts: "I'd love to see an AU in which Kakashi was accepted into the Uchiha clan for having the Sharingan and raised by them. Iruka is adopted too, because he's being groomed for being a future husband, or something. The Uchiha are calculating like that. So they manage to fall in love and get to the smexings right under their adoptive family's nose. Because the Uchiha are sort of short-sighted like that." I also added in a bit of some of her other prompts like an awkward Kakashi and Iruka visiting what used to be Kakashi's old home.

Thank you very much for reading, I hope you enjoy as much as I did writing it.

* * *

 **Behind the Scenes of War**

The country had been torn to pieces. It had been with good reason but many homes and villages had been destroyed, leaving most of the land scorched and burned from the many battles. The people were also suffering as well with many of the population's children orphaned and left to die on their own.

The new emperor had taken noticed and used it to his advantage as he proclaimed a law that would bring the now orphaned Hatake Kakashi into the all-powerful Uchiha clan.

Had it not been for the monthly income that came with adopting a war orphan, the boy already possessing some relations or the fact that doing this favour for the emperor would put them back by the his side, they wouldn't have even considered the boy. Such was because of the mystery surrounding Sakumo Hatake's death and that of a young Uchiha.

Least to say, there was much disdain and fear that greeted the boy as he was signed into his new clan. While the other children pitied him and tried to coerce him into friendship, the parents were not as welcoming and refused even the idea of family.

It may have been because the boy seemed so shell-shocked and on the brink of breaking or it could have been because he had been the son of a man who had been the fiercest samurai. Maybe it was because he had been raised as a weapon. Regardless of whether Sakumo's son had was an actual threat or not, they steered their children away from him and the boy grew into solitude; solitude that was constantly watched by everyone.

While the young Hatake had been one of the lucky orphans to fall into the hands of such a wealthy and powerful family, other young girls and boys were not so fortunate.

A small Umino had seen his parents killed by the same men who would used the new orphan's law to their advantage.

With the money they earned from the orphans they registered as under their care, they would live comfortable lives while only keeping the children in poor conditions. Forty-six children cramped into the coldest room of the mansion and fed once a day was enough to keep four men fat and happy for the next ten years. As the law stated, for each child they owned they would receive a monthly income and many other gangs would do as these four had but, unfortunately for them, the Uchiha had caught wind.

What began the battle between clans was the ever-present struggle for power and a successful attempt to overthrow the emperor. While one clan had been at the center of this plan, the Uchiha had been on the edge, watching and waiting with their personal benefit in mind. This was why the new emperor, the son of the previous one, was so uneasy to keep them by his side despite the number of clans on his side being scarce.

So, when they heard the news of this gang of thugs and others of the sort, they took action in hopes of getting into the emperor's good books.

"This is of great importance to us, son," was said to Kakashi when they decided to test the boy with this challenge. They then said with as much prejudice and fear that Kakashi thought a person could have. He blinked. "We hope you succeed."

He then said, "yes, sir."

On the other hand, where Kakashi was set to head to, an even younger boy was serving his so-called parents alcohol and food. They were laughing boisterously and swaying with the rain outside.

Iruka felt disgusted. Not only that but he was angry. It took him a tremendous amount of patience to calm himself as he thought of his brothers and sisters shaking with hunger and frostbite as their toes and lips blued. Their pained weeping rang in his mind and he gripped the tray in his hands harder.

"Hey, boy," one of the men motioned Iruka in his direction.

As Kakashi slipped silently through the snowy paths towards his destination, Iruka was frozen with fear and rage. A hand was gripping his neck. Another was fumbling with his clothes.

Kakashi had no real reason to go with the Uchihas' wishes but it was more because of a reflex that his body had created to deal with his grief. He was moving just as a ghost would; empty and lifeless. It seemed as though the cold inside him matched with his surroundings but he didn't notice. So, as his conscience was hidden away from prying eyes, his body moved automatically around the home with the stealth that he knew all too well.

When he killed the first man, he didn't hear his dying gurgles. The second man had almost cried out from shock but no one heard them or cared. The third of the group had been with the children, grasping one by the arm it seemed, but Kakashi ignored their eyes and the third man's neck was snapped before anyone had seen. To their little minds, the children only saw the man dropping to the ground and the older boy moving out of the room.

With caution and worry, they watched him slip back onto the walkway that trimmed the home and continue on. A few stepped out of the room and walk the shadow of a boy slip around the corner before their eyes went to the falling snow and they shivered, beginning to trail after Kakashi in hope of warmth.

Kakashi could feel their eyes on him but he ignored it when he heard the clanking of dishes with the sounds of a struggle before it went quiet again.

Steps still quiet, he paused in front of where the noise came from, only able to hear the breath of one person. He pulled open the door swiftly, eyes landing on a boy about his age splattered with blood.

* * *

Iruka was slightly stunned. His heart beat was going a bit faster than normal and his fingers felt cold as he gazed up at his ceiling. As he lay there in on his bed, he could only think of the oncoming event that would change him; his marriage.

The marriage was mainly to tie the Uchiha to the Hinako clan and strengthen their bond. Since the Uchiha were warriors and the Hinako were weapon manufacturers, their alliance was vital to both their families. It just so happens that Iruka was of eligible age and of good standing in his family that he had been chosen. He didn't even know the man; had never seen his fiance neither before or after their engagement. They had only met through the letters they'd been sending each other and, even then, it was barely a connection.

And it was a problem that made his heart ache with self pity.

"You okay?" Iruka looked up at Kakashi.

"Today's the day," Iruka looked into dark eyes that went glassy and Kakashi gripped iruka's hand tighter.

"It is."

They were both silent, legs tangled together under the sheets and hearts aching just the same.

"Sir?"

A voice called from outside the room and, in a flash, they were both covered with blankets and pressed against each other, faces tucked together. Iruka grinned, Kakashi rolling his eyes as the other man called out, "yes?"

"Your clothes are ready for you in the canary room, sir," Kakashi suddenly felt frustrated, reminded that these were his last moments with Iruka before they wouldn't be able to see each other in the same light.

Under those covers was warm and soft, mimicking the feelings that were burning between them and he wanted nothing more than to stay there forever. So many 'if only's had been running through his mind since he'd heard of Iruka's engagement. There was nothing he could change, though, and it hurt to think of Iruka as someone else's.

There was nothing he could do but step away and watch as Iruka walked a new path without him.

If this had been any normal affair, it shouldn't have mattered. Their secret had been kept well and they were both from high parts of society, living their own lives. While Kakashi's involved the military and was a key on keeping security tight within the emperor's community, Iruka was personal assistant to the emperor himself and saw him on a daily basis. Their affair was supposed to have been purely physical and, when the day came that they would have to move on, it would be like none of it had ever happened. The passion had been there but it quickly turned into something else; something that was bigger than they had planned.

"Hey," Iruka was looking at him again with those melt-worthy eyes.

Kakashi blinked back to the reality of their noses touching. The maid was gone. He'd been staring again.

Seeing pale cheeks flush, Iruka smirked fondly and gave their hands a squeeze.

* * *

He was in love.

The cold-hardened, battle-scarred and broken boy who had seen his father die in front of his eyes and hadn't been showed any form of kindness since then except for a maid who'd given him a sad smile was now in love.

Maybe it was just a crush. Maybe it was just his heart reaching out for any form of kindness. It didn't really matter to him since it was so strong that it was enough to blind him. All he could think of was that blood-splattered face and, well, work of course but that was different.

Ever since he'd seen the apple of his eye smile at him with gratitude at realizing that Kakashi was there to help, he'd been searching and scouring for that smiling face.

So, he had decided to wait by the kitchen doors. His love had to pass by one of those days since almost all the children of the Uchiha had a habit of popping in for a snack. Unfortunately, he had forgotten briefly that people were afraid of him and, once word caught the air that he was staking out the kitchen, everyone began to avoid the room like plague.

That hadn't been his only plan; there had been many others after that but... Failure had been a great weight on his shoulders.

Ha had been getting a lot more mission lately too and his time at his new home had been limited. He barely had time to just sit down and think.

He no longer had the drive to work on his searching hobby, having almost forgotten the smile that gave him ambition and instead could only come back to everyone else's eyes. The staring had become too painful to bear and he could feel them constantly. They followed him throughout the years until he had forgotten almost all about his first love and that amazing smile. The only memory he had retained was the feeling that he felt thinking about it. The smile no longer mattered to him. What did matter was the feeling behind it.

And it was one he treasured.

Though, he never expected to see that boy again, at this point.

As he mused during one of his walks away from the mansion, he pondered over the boy he had seen so many years ago. It had been almost ten years since then, barely a year after his nine year-old witnessed his father's death. It hurt to think of his father and that smile. It was probably because those moments had impacted him the most and he felt a nostalgic mist fog over him under he no longer knew where he was walking to.

Finding himself again, his eyes looked up to an overgrown garden and an old wooden bench that was falling apart. Pretty blue bells of petals grew among the weeds that climbed the fence and the vines that crawled up the sides of the house the garden belonged to. Even as the sun shining behind him, Kakashi suddenly felt colder and he wondered why his mind brought him there.

He stepped up onto the walkway trimming the house and touched the worn wood of the home's support beams. Down the hall leading inside, dust floated lightly through the air as small specks of light and drew to him the sleepy daydreams of memories.

The young man that suddenly skidded into the hall froze at the sight of Kakashi standing at the end of the hall, crowned in afternoon sunlight. When grey eyes drew up to meet Iruka's, recognition sparked.

"Gah," cried a tiny boy at he ran smack into Iruka's leg, dropping to the floor.

* * *

"But, why don't you live here anymore?" Naruto asked curiously as he sat awkwardly on the other side of the table with Iruka, twitching with discontent at sitting still.

"Because I have to live somewhere else now." Kakashi said lightly, eyes fixed on Iruka as he spoke, and Iruka felt like he was going to blow at any second with embarrassment.

Did he remember Kakashi? Yes, very much he did. In fact, Iruka had been nervous of ever meeting the older man.

It had been so long ago that he remembered Kakashi asking if he was okay. The Hatake Kakashi, son of the once great Sakumo, had had addressed him and even had helped the other children, leading them through the blistering cold to the safe house where they were then tended to. He was a legend among the orphans as a hero who had been through so many hardships. Least to say, Iruka was enamored and bubbling from the great Kakashi staring at him.

Although, while Iruka was fawning over Kakashi in his mind, the older of them was flushing terribly. Kakashi was so nervous. This was him; the boy-no, young man of his dreams and was making conversation with him. He was so flustered that speaking was not in his mind and whatever came out was automatic, too busy staring out of anxiety.

"Ahh? Where do you live?" Naruto asked curiously.

"With you," he said automatically.

The whole room went quiet again and kakashi almost combusted.

* * *

"Mmph," he almost flinched when Iruka pressed their lips together, pulled out of his memories, but he moved closer and wound his arms around the younger man, treasuring everything that was Iruka. Not knowing when he'd get another chance, he explored every inch of the young man he could with as much reverence and regret as he felt. He would never know all the things he had been to shy to ask; the scar, what happened to Iruka's parents or what had happened for him to meet Iruka with his face speckled with blood. At the same time, he tried to recall all the moments he had spent together; to feel it all one last time.

Kakashi cherished those last moments with Iruka, every detail burned into his very being, still feeling the lingering warmth of Iruka's touches even as he was escorting the emperor to the event of the day. He watched as Iruka walked up to the steps with Hinako's maids coming out to escort the small wedding procession in.

It was decided then by Kakashi that seeing your lover getting married to someone else was the worst pain in the world and the hurt that seeped deep inside followed him everywhere. He felt the hollowness of being alone again. There was the longing and the hurt but there was also the affectionate nostalgia that gave him company.

Over the next months, he changed. He realized something.

With that on his mind, he found himself staring at a smirking Iruka again, their fingers twined under the snowfall that covered the garden of the old Hatake mansion.

* * *

The death of Hinako Iruka's husband was much expected once the winter after their marriage had hit and old man Hinako was bedridden with pneumonia. With his husband and young heir by his death bed, he passed in happiness after the wonderful few months of having a complete family again even in his late age.

The Uchiha gladly welcomed the widowed Iruka with his son to visit the Uchiha homes whenever they pleased, inspired by now having direct relations with the Hinako heir, and Iruka would take them up on this offer whenever he could.

Some say it was to escape the memory of his deceased husband but others whispered that such wasn't the case.


End file.
